Next Weekend, Brooklyn will be taken over by members of the jam community. Brooklyn Comes Alive differentiates themselves by essentially skipping big-name headliners in favor of bands that don’t even exist yet. One-off collaborations and tribute sets are what makes this festival a must-see, and their 2017 lineup is no exception.
There are a ton of sets that will be essential to catch. Whether it’s hip hop pioneer DJ Premier bringing his live band in, or electronica heavyweights The Crystal Method coming back to the Big Apple, there’s plenty to choose from on September 23 and 24. While it’s tough to narrow the scope, we’ve gone ahead and chosen the 5 sets we’re most excited to see.
Rooster Conspiracy
There’s a great story about this band getting their start. In short, the Grateful Dead’s Bill Kreutzmann had a great time jamming with these cats following a New Year’s Eve run, and uploaded a couple of killer videos to prove the chemistry. While Billy can’t make it, the group has pegged Ratdog’s Jay Lane to join in on a rare appearance from the supergroup.
Dave Harrington’s Merry Pranksters
DARKSIDE’s Dave Harrington has been curating all-star groups of jazz players for his Merry Pranksters group. Holding the bulk of the sessions at Nublu, the nights go long and explore deep into the realm of jammy, groove-based improvisation. This time around, the band has Skerik, Yuka Honda (Cibo Matto), Spencer Zahn (Twin Shadow), Mauro Refosco (Atoms For Peace), and Ian Chang.
The Road Goes on Forever: Celebrating the Music of the Allman Brothers Band
The music of the Allman Brothers is in a very emotional place following the passing of Gregg Allman and Butch Trucks earlier this year. Tracks like “Sweet Melissa”, “Midnight Rider”, and “Whipping Post” are always prone to bring a tear to the eye, but with an all-star crew including moe.’s Al Schnier, Bernard Purdie, Eric Krasno, Taz, Roosevelt Collier, and more, this is sure to be one of the hottest sets of the weekend.
Brownstein / Magner / Cummins / Greenfield / Jalbert
Jam bands get their name from jamming, right? But when you bundle up members of different bands who have never played together in that lineup, you’re going to get something a little deeper. With this group, the Disco Biscuits’ Marc Brownstein and Aron Magner link up with Umphrey’s McGee’s Joel Cummins, Lotus’ Mike Greenfield, and the Motet’s Ryan Jalbert. What will they create? I’m not exactly sure, but I’m excited as hell to find out! My money is on high-energy improvisation that is funky, danceable, and a bit trancey at times.
Octave Cat
This trio released their debut album earlier this year, and it’s pretty awesome. I love hearing what members of Lotus and Dopapod can do in a stripped-down, instrumental formation. The result is jazzy, modern, and fresh. Check it out below!